Embodiments herein generally relate to a printing apparatus and exhaustible modules (modules that are regularly replaced) used within such a printing apparatus, and more particularly relates to an exhaustible module that stores a return address that is to be included on a return shipping label that is automatically printed by the printing apparatus when the useful life of the exhaustible module is at its end.
The exhaustible module (customer replaceable units (CRU's)) comprises either material to be consumed and/or parts that will wear out. When the material is consumed and/or the parts are worn out, the exhaustible module is replaced by the end user of the printing device. The printing device includes a central processor, a graphic user interface operatively connected to the central processor, and a printing engine operatively connected to the central processor. There is at least one of the exhaustible modules within the printing apparatus that is also operatively connected to the central processor. The printing device comprises an electrostatographic device and/or xerographic device.
Some replacement modules are shipped to the customer with return shipping labels in the box for customer use in returning the units. Alternatively, instruction sheets are sometimes included with the replacement module directing the customers to a website from which a shipping label may be printed. Including such labels and instructions adds to manufacturing cost and complexity. An even larger issue is that such labels continue to be copied and used by customers even after discontinuation of return programs, or change of address of the entity processing such returned modules, resulting in excessive shipping and handling costs.
Therefore, embodiments herein provide for the automated printing of one shipping label per module as part of the software/memory of the customer replaceable unit (CRU) that has memory (a customer replaceable unit memory or “CRUM”). Such printing is controlled by information carried in the module itself. Thus, the embodiments work with exhaustible modules that include their own memory and potentially include their own module processor (that are contained within the exhaustible module and are separate from the memory and processor of the printing device). For a complete discussion of programmable modules see U.S. Pat. No. 6,975,817, the complete disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The electronic memory stores the return address, which is specific to the exhaustible module. The exhaustible module has a useful life shorter than the useful life of the apparatus, such that the exhaustible module is adapted to be regularly consumed and replaced a plurality of times during the useful life of the apparatus. When a predetermined amount of the useful life of the exhaustible module has expired, the processor of the printing device is adapted to generate the module replacement notice (or the module processor, if so equipped, is adapted to send the module replacement notice to the central processor). The module replacement notice includes the return address.
The central processor is adapted to automatically provide the module replacement notice to the user through the graphic user interface and to automatically print, using the printing engine, the return shipping label that has the return address for use in shipping the exhaustible module back to the manufacturer or to a refurbishing/recycling processor after the consumed exhaustible module is removed from the apparatus.
One feature of embodiments herein is that the return address can be stored only in the electronic memory of the exhaustible module. Therefore, each different exhaustible module can be sent to a different address and this address can be changed from time to time (as the manufacturer of the exhaustible module so desires) because each time an exhaustible module is manufactured or refurbished, a different address can be stored on the exhaustible module memory (CRUM) before being supplied to the user. This allows module manufacturers to balance the flow of returned modules among multiple refurbish/recycle locations, and/or allows the module manufacturer to ensure that it receives back the modules that it has manufactured (for testing and quality control purposes). Similarly, by including the return address in the exhaustible module memory, different contractual obligations with different refurbish/recycle vendors can be honored by a module manufacturer, so that the vendors receive their contracted for levels of consumed modules.
The module replacement notice can also include information regarding the remaining useful life amount of the exhaustible module (calculated by either the printing device processor or the module processor) which allows the central processor to provide the remaining useful life amount to the user through the graphic user interface. In some embodiments, in response to the module exhaustion notice, one of the processors can be further adapted to automatically order a replacement exhaustible module.
These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.